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Anti-Baillieu flyers spotted this morning around Bentleigh

These anonymous flyers appear to have popped up overnight (at least I didn’t spot them yesterday) around Bentleigh station.

(Note another similar pink one in the background on the small pole opposite.)

I might note that since the 2010 timetable was introduced (and the tweaks in 2011), the morning commute is slower, but I for one can almost always get a seat on the train in the mornings, apart from when there are cancellations and other disruptions. However, I consistently travel after 8am on weekdays — it may be a different story before 8.

I wonder if it was the same person who posted this sign in 2010:

Whoever posted these new ones, it seems public transport is still a hot button issue — something both major parties would do well to note.

Yes, what do these people think the government are, magicians? Considering the situation throughout the entire network, and with transport generally, to make a fuss about you getting longer travel times (to speed up many other traveller’s trips) seems even selfish. In any case, I would prefer the government take the time to divise a proper metropolis-wide process. That said, I’m still waiting for anything about the proposed new PTC. Even a whisper about them starting to look into implementing it.

But on these signs, I would expect these have been placed by a Labor supporter trying to drum up local dissatisfaction with an eye to winning the seat back in 2014, and that they aren’t serious complaints.

Amusingly, the local member (Liberal) was in Bentleigh shopping centre on the Saturday with flunkies and photographer asking voters for their views. Perhaps they should have gone down to the station!

Interestingly the flunky that talked to me was really only interested in local issues, not in State wide issues (this may reflect the effective power of a local member, unless they are a minister). Afterwards I overheard him talking to the photographer and saying that one theme coming out was crime (this might have been what he was hearing, of course, or it may have reflected the fact that they were asking the questions in an area noted for a grafiti problem).

“(this may reflect the effective power of a local member, unless they are a minister).”

This is an interesting perception. Its interesting that people think this. Local members formally have no power over local government, nor do they have any power over State government agencies in relation to their districts. Yet this perception seems to be widely held, so there must be something to it, at least in some places.

@enno, but local members can influence state ministers on specific issues, and can lobby for funding for particular local projects. The party in power may well decide to prioritise funding into marginal seats. There is a reason that pork-barrelling happens.

@Mary: What is it with those who are politically riled up, and their insistence on over-using capital letters and punctuation? You see it all the time, it’s as if the writers believe it makes their prose more compelling rather than much harder to read. And underlining, that again helps drive home the point better than thoughtful and concise arguments. Spelling and grammar seem less important that vigour to hot heads; I’m impressed the signs have both.